Olympus E-P3 vs Panasonic FH8

In this article, we will be looking at the Olympus E-P3 and Panasonic FH8, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There is a sizable difference among the resolutions of the E-P3 (12MP) and FH8 (16MP) and the E-P3 (Four Thirds) and FH8 (1/2.3") feature different sensor dimensions.

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The E-P3 was released 4 months before the FH8 which means that they are of a similar age. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-P3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FH8 being a Compact camera.

Before we go in to a in depth comparison, below is a brief overview of how the E-P3 grades versus the FH8 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-P3 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH8. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-P3 Gallery & Panasonic FH8 Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to travel with your camera, you should think about its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-P3 enjoys exterior dimensions of 122mm x 69mm x 34mm (4.8" x 2.7" x 1.3") along with a weight of 369 grams (0.81 lbs) and the Panasonic FH8 has measurements of 96mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.7") having a weight of 123 grams (0.27 lbs).

See the Olympus E-P3 and Panasonic FH8 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you have chosen at that time. Below is the front view scale comparison of the E-P3 versus the FH8.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the E-P3 and FH8 is 86 and 96 respectively.

In many cases, its hard to imagine the gap in sensor dimensions simply by researching specifications. The picture underneath might offer you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-P3 and FH8.

Plainly, each of these cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The E-P3 due to its bigger sensor is going to make achieving bokeh simpler and the Panasonic FH8 will result in greater detail as a result of its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop shots far more aggressively.